Car roof hatch



May 15, 1956 E. o. LUNDE 2,745,362

CAR ROOF HATCH Filed May 19, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l I I 12 I] 10//7l@/7/0J.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 E. o. LUNDE CAR ROOF HATCH May 15, 1956 Filed May 19,1952 United States Patent CAR ROOF HATCH Einar 0. Lunde, Wyckotf, N. J.,assignor to Magor Car Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation ofDelaware Application May 19, 1952, Serial No. 288,719

4 Claims. (Cl. 105-377) This invention relates to a car roof hatch.

The invention is more particularly concerned with improved manuallyoperable mechanism for releasably retaining a hatch cover in closedposition upon a cylindrical housing suitably secured in encirclingrelation to an opening therein.

The present invention relates to a car roof hatch of the generalconstruction of that disclosed in my Patent No. 2,647,473 of August 4,1953.

A primary object of the invention is to provide in operative associationwith a cylindrical hatch frame and a disk cover therefor, a leveroperable yieldable means for urging the cover into tight closed positionon the frame.

A further object of the invention is to provide auxiliary adjustingmeans in operative association with the yieldable means whereby thepressure exerted thereby on the cover may be varied.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent inthe course of the following detailed description, taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a top plan view of acar roof hatch showing the adaptation of the present invention theretoin accordance with one structure embodiment thereof.

Fig. 2 is a view partially in elevation and partially in diametricalsection, as observed in the planes of broken line 2-2 on Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view partially in elevation and partially in diametricalsection, as observed in the planes of broken line 3-3 on Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an elevational view of the hatch in general correspondence toFig. 2 but depicting a modified embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 5 is a fragmental elevational view as observed in the direction ofthe arrow 5 to the right of Fig. 4.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, designates a car roof hatch andwhich includes a cylindrical frame 11 having a base flange 12 forreceiving suitable means for attachment of the frame to a car roof inencircling relation to an opening therein.

The upper end of the frame 11 is closable by a cover 13 which isprovided with a pair of spaced apertured lugs 14 between which arereceived a. pair of spaced ears 15 projecting upwardly from the frame 11and which are apertured in axial alignment with the apertures in thelugs for reception of a pivot bolt 16.

The cover 13 is preferably provided with a downwardly openingcircumferential channel 17 in which is received a suitable gasket 18 fortight bearing engagement with the upper free edge of frame 11 when thecover is in the closed position as shown.

The frame 11 is provided with a second pair of spaced apertured ears 19which are on opposite sides of a diameter at right angles to a diameterintermediate the ears 15.

An elongated resilient cover hold-down strap 20 is provided at one endthereof with a sleeve 21 through Ice which as well as 'the apertures incars 19 extends a pivot bolt 22.

The strap 20 extends diametrically across the top of cover 13 and at anintermediate point thereof bears on a boss 23 extending upwardly fromthe center of the cover 13 and the other end of the strap projectsbeyond the perimeter of the cover.

The strap 20 intermediate its ends is provided with an upwardlyprojectingflange 24 which is apertured as at 25 and the strap at itsfree end is bifurcated as at 26.

In the closing of the cover 13, the resilient strap 20 bears on the boss23 intermediate its ends and the free end of the strap is forceddownwardly.

For this purpose, a lever 27 is provided and which at one end thereof isbifurcated at 28 in conformity with the bifurcation 26 in the strap 20and .the lever on each side of the bifurcation 28 includes a cam head 29having a strap engaging cam portion 30. A vertically disposed link 31extends through the strap and lever bifurcations 26 and 28 respectively.The link at its lower end is pivotally connected by a bolt 32 extendingthrough an aperture therein as well as through aligned apertures in apair of ears 33 projecting from the frame 11.

The upper end of the link 31 is pivotally connected to the cam heads 29by means of a bolt 34 traversing apertures therein. The lever 27 isprovided with an opening 35 which receives the flange 24 and the leveris further provided with an upward extension 36 provided with anaperture 37.

In operation of the structure described and assuming the cover to beswung back into open position and with the strap 20 swung to the rightin Fig. 2 and the lever 27 together with link 31 swung to the left, thecover 13 is swung to closed position, the strap 2'0 is then'swung downwith its intermediate portion resting on boss 23, the lever 27 is thenswung upwardly and inwardly and then forced downwardly whereupon the camportions 30 forcibly move the free end portion of the strap 20downwardly with a resistant deformation of the strap as shown in Fig. 2.

At this point it is to be particularly noted that the points ofengagement of cam portions 39 with the strap 20 are to the left of aline L joining the link pivots 32, 34 and which results in a yieldableretention of the lever in its cover closing position.

When the cover is closed as in Fig. 2 a key 40 may be extended throughaperture 25 in flange 24 and a wire connecting means 41 may be extendedthrough an aperture in the key and a like connecting member 42 may beextended through aperture 37 in the projection 36, after which a seal Sof well known form may be operatively engaged with the connectingmembers.

A modified embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5and includes means whereby the tension in the hold-down strap 21) may bereadily varied.

Such means preferably comprises an angular bolt 43 having a sleeve 44 atits lower end which in turn surrounds a bushing 45 which in turnreceives a pivot bolt 46 extending through apertured ears 4'7 projectingfrom the frame 11.

The upper angular portion of the bolt is threaded as at 48 and whichextends through an elongated aperture Patent is:

1. In a car roof hatch constnuction, a cylindrical frame, a cover havinga pivotal connection with the frame, means for releasably' holding thecover in closed position comprising-an elongated resilient strap extend?ing diametrically over thecover, the strap having one end thereofpivotally connected to the'frame, an upward extension on the coverengageable by an intermediate portion of the strap, a link having oneend thereof pivotally connected to the frame diametrically of thepivotal connection of the strap, and a lever having one endthereof-pivotally connected to the other end-of said link, said leverhaving cam means engageable with the strap adjacent its free endand thelever extending above and longitudinally of the strap in operativeposition and having a free operating end intermediate said strap pivotalconnectionand said upward extension. I

2. The structure according to claim l,'wherein said strap'is bifurcatedat its free'end, said lever including a head centrally bifurcated, saidlink-projecting vertically through said bifurcations andhaving-itsopposite ends pivotally connected to said frame and said head, said headhaving. cam portions engageable with said strap outwardly of a lineconnecting the'pivotal connections of said link.

3. The structure according to claim 1 wherein said lever is providedwith an opening adjacent its free end, a flange projecting upwardly.from said strap receivable in said opening, and locking meansreleasablyengageable with said flange and said lever. V

4. The structure according to claim 1 wherein the pivotal connectionbetween said frame and said strap comprises a bolt memberhaving one endthereof pivotally connected to the frame andthe threaded end of the boltmemberhavingan axially adjustable connection with the strap for varyingthe operating tension in the strap.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

